Rajasthan diaries

ST Correspondent

Saturday, 16 September 2017

Television actor Shashank Vyas, who recently visited Jodhpur, says how he loves connecting with his roots and Marwari culture

Shashank Vyas is back to his roots. The actor, who rose to fame with his character Jagya in Balika Vadhu shot in Jodhpur for the first time, visited the place recently. Only this time he was visiting family.

Talking to us about his visit, the actor says, “My last show ended sometime back, so I thought of taking a break and spend some time with family. Jodhpur is a nice place to be in and I just love the city.”
First shoot in Jodhpur

Jodhpur takes him to his Balika Vadhu days, when he was a newbie. His first shot as well as entry was dramatic and he remembers it vividly. “It was for the shoot of Balika Vadhu and we shot at a heritage property. My entry was full of drama and I still remember the old beautiful structure where we were shooting, it is still fresh in my memory. As it was my first shoot, I will always remember it. I loved the way I was introduced in the show — a special entry, shot with a fort in the background,” he says.
Connecting with his roots

Telling us about his association with Rajasthan and the Marwari culture, Shashank, who was born in Ujjain and loves connecting with his roots, says, “It feels great to be associated with Marwari culture as my roots are here, in this state,” he says, adding, “My family is originally from Rajasthan and migrated to Madhya Pradesh decades ago but thankfully my work keeps bringing me back to the state.”

No masaledaar food
When you visit home, you tend to indulge in food. But Shashank, who follows a strict diet, doesn’t like to be pampered with rich food. “I follow my exercise schedule and the food chart religiously. Before coming here, I told my family not to pamper me and serve masaledaar food, especially Gatte Ki Sabzi. But I will have Dal-Baati at least once. Ab Rajasthan aao toh woh toh banta hi hai,” he says.

Visiting peaceful places
Talking about his busy shooting schedule, the actor says that he makes sure to take a breather regularly. “Shooting for almost 12 hours a day for a daily soap becomes taxing at times. One needs a break at regular intervals to rejuvenate. I keep going on short breaks and prefer visiting smaller and peaceful places rather than going to crowded ones. Maybe it is because I come from a small city,” he says.